In many parts of the world, recycling is becoming commonplace and even required by law. In recent years, plastic bottles and containers were discarded while glass containers often were recycled or reused. However, even now some regulations in various areas even require plastic containers, such as refillable PET containers, to be recycled or reused.
Many of these PET and similar plastic containers are labeled using a wrap-around labeling process where a leading edge of a label is applied onto the container and secured thereon typically by an adhesive that has been applied onto the leading edge while the label moves with rotating label drum. The container also rotates and draws a label from the label drum. As the container rotates, the label is wrapped about the container and the trailing edge secured by an adhesive either onto the container or overlying the leading edge. If the container has a contoured surface, such as a convex or sloped end portion, a heat shrinkable layer is heat shrunk over the contoured or inclined surface.
When the containers are recycled or reused, the label is stripped from the container. Because the leading edge of the label had been secured by an adhesive onto the container, after the label has been stripped from the container, often a residue of adhesive from the leading edge is retained on the container. This is an undesirable byproduct of that labeling operation.
It would be advantageous if many containers could be labeled and applied by a wrap-around labeling technique without having an adhesive applied onto the leading edge. Additionally, such method and apparatus would be advantageous because it would increase production. Often, a misfed label can create a production "glitch" because an adhesive roller or other means that is used for applying adhesive onto the leading edge of the label would apply adhesive to the surface of the label drum. If this occurs, then an operator often must clean the labeling drum, taking valuable production time and creating greater production costs.